{Location: Seliel's home}(Seliel's POV)
I pull open the front door. Dad looks up then stunned at me running with a ghost in tow, "Hey Dad. Can't talk right now. I'll explain everything in the morning." I storm upstairs as Marci passes through me. I get into my room and closed the door, "Now, where'd I put it?" I'm surprised at myself. One moment, I think of myself as stupid for being the Phantom Ninja, the next, I'm looking everywhere for it. And why? Marci is technically dead.
Marci passes through my closet and tries pulling something with her, "I wish I could make things pass through with me."
"Here." I open the doors to the lightweight light blue and grey suit. I take the hanger and start changing in the closet. I trip and find more of my armor on the floor. Maybe twenty minutes later I'd almost done. I just need my helmet. Then I see Marci looking at the little memorial for her on my desk. A picture of her, me, and my Mom exploring the nearby mountains. I remember that. After we needed more food then Mom left on an emergency trip to a near town patient.
Marci looks close to tears as she sees her sia forming a triangle above the picture, "These never got much use." She tries to pick them up.
I come up next to her and hold one up for her, "I'm sure their owner will keep using them."
She smiles, "Yeah. That's got to be the whole reason for me coming back. To be sure that the sia I used and still working."
I snicker, which makes her smile a tad bigger, "Who knows why anything happens." The world is a big place. With not a lot of the afterlives, we know of. Where did Marci go? Where is my Mom? Did Marci see her, "Maybe the place you left knew how important you are to me."
Marci looks down. Like she's grappling for memories, "I don't think she let me leave." She? What she? "She's too smart."
"She?" I fold my arms, "She who?"
Marci squeezes her eyes shut, bites her lips and takes a few deep breaths, "She. It's on the tip of my tongue. The pre-something."
"Pre-something." I make a note to visit the library for more information on a pre-soothing.
"No use in talking about something I don't remember," Marci turns to me with a grin and face saying, 'I really don't remember anything. Don't push.' "What have you been up to?"
"Umm." I've been boring the last few months. Get up. Get ready, go to the station. Come back. Sluk. "Nothing special."
Marci tilts her head right, "I guess being the Phantom Ninja isn't anything special anymore."
"That's not exactly it." I fold my arms, "I kinda...quit. After you died."
I had no idea someone could go through so many emotions so fast. Marci jumps from confused to surprised to upset in 3 seconds. "What?"
"I couldn't take it anymore." I keep my voice low so I don't bring Dad up here, "I shouldn't have fought Victor. I shouldn't have left you. I should have-"
Marci holds her hand up. "I'm gonna stop you right there." She brings it down, "You told me that you wanted this. That you wanted to be a hero to honor your Mom."
"Yeah and then you died. Not because I couldn't stop it. I could have. I could have saved you. You could be alive right now and I-"
"Could be dead." Marci finished, "I knew what I was getting into Seliel. I'm not dumb. I knew the possibility. If anything, this is Nom's fault. I'm not mad at him. But you shouldn't be mad at yourself for his mistake."
Maybe I'm not a hero. Maybe I never should have thought of this.
Marci drills a hole into my forehead as I look downward, "You said a ninja never quits. That determination is half the hero."
"And the other half is going through with it." It's too easy of a saying. Anyone can do anything with motivation. "From another perspective, that's the same equation to terrible things."
Marci tries holding my hand. I lift it up to help make her point, "It's not the people's view of it. It's the person executing the hero equation. Lots of people see things different ways. But you can't stop after one small window at something. You've got to keep trying, make adjustments from the mistakes, find what works and help change the world." Marci smiles as some combination of guilt and hope rattle around in me, "If you keep doing something wrong, someone will most likely stand up and from what I can tell, you did everything right. You just got tripped up along the way."
Why did I like the Ninja so much again? Past the cute boys and the awesome moves. Why? I think because they kept going. Mom kept going after each mistake. She never repeated it but she also learned from it. I try hugging Marci. This is what I needed. A recharge of my own determination, "Thanks, Marci."
I can feel her trying to hug me back. But the result is light cold whispers against my back. "Anytime." Marci holds still as she feels a little more tangible somehow. "Don't we have a gang to bust?"
I let go. Draw her sia for her then hold them out for her, "Yes we do." I search for my helmet and find it under my bed. I open my door to see my Dad about to knock while holding my kama.
Dad gets a grin I've never seen before, "Tell me about the adventure once it's over. Just go live it now." He hands me the weapons.
My hands inch to them. These things didn't really stop anything before. They will now. I'll make sure of it. I grab them, give them a small twirl then stick them in their seats, "Thanks, Dad." Marci and I rush back down stairs.
Dad gives me a thumbs up as I throw open the door, "Go get 'em, sweetheart."
{Location: Crystal Pass}(Dawn's POV)[Many years ago]
I step off the bus as my stomach growls. I am so hungry for apples. I have no idea why I just do. Maybe the lady on the bus was right, perhaps I'm pregnant.
"Hello, Dawn." I smile at Edward Nom. He is always the most excited greeter when ever someone comes in his store. His clothes even portray this with his bright yellow apron. Which is only made brighter by his darker skin, "Can I help you find anything?"
"Yeah." I fold my arms. How do I know Chen isn't watching right now. One of the last people I want to be involved is the town grocer, "I'm hanging around some of the old mining tunnel close by. Any food good for that?"
"Where are you hiking at?" He leads me through the fruits and vegetables to the meat section.
"I was just going to wander around," I hold my smile as I glance behind me.
"Then I'd say lots of proteins," Edward points to cans of cashews and peanuts, "But are you sure? The old mining tunnels are risky."
"Perfect, more adventure." I grab the two closets cans and turn on my heel to the register.
Edward grabs my shoulder, I flinch a little, "Are you sure? Those caves are more tricky to get out of them in." He starts squeezing hard. What's he hiding?
I turn back to him, push his hand off with mine, "I'm sure." I raise an eyebrow saying something like, 'don't make me any more suspicions than I am.'
"Have fun," His smile drops as I dash off to the cash register.
I pay as quick as I can along with buying a small backpack to hold my food. I hop on another bus that takes me closer to the old tunnels. Once I'm there, I keep looking back. I feel like I'm being followed. I descend, almost tripping over the rail lines, if it wasn't for the dimly lit lanterns, my face would have met the dirt three times over now. I keep walking until I hit a wall of rocks. "I don't see how this is dangerous." I lean against the rock only to fall down. "It's a sheet? Dang, that looked too real." I fall on my side. I pull my legs through and get up.
Now, this cave has brighter lanterns, neater paths and a few crates of precious stones. I dust myself off, then head to the nearest crate. It's made of very fresh wood, brand new nails and looks freshly carved. By the crate is a hammer, like someone was late and just tossed it away. I pull up each nail only to find elaborate green curved swords with gold handles. "I guess it looks pretty. But not the best in combat." I pull one out and wave it around. If anything this thing would be worse in a fight, the shininess of the metal is a target.
Then I lift my thumb up. There's a small red gem in it. Very bright like a lot of the weapon but it also looks like a magnifying glass.
"So," Edward's voice makes me flinch again as I hide the weapon under my shirt, "You did come. Maybe I should have been even more cautious."
"Maybe you should also upgrade from a paper sheet to an actual security system." I show my hands off. I need to look into this more but I need him off my trail. "And like I said, I was looking around."
"Why'd you come straight here then? There are other, more entertaining places to look at." Edward walks down slowly, with a black cane with a golden handle in his hand, "I'd think as a normal person such as yourself, you'd be more interested in local gossip."
"I'm not that normal." I back up as he holds the cane with both hands now.
Edward grins as something ruffles the sheet, "No. I get the feeling in the years to come, we'll learn more and more about each other." He backtracks the way he came until he's directly across from me, "If you have any more years left." He pulls out a sword from his cane and charges me.
I side step, his shoulder is in front of me. I push him into the sheet, tearing the top off and him running into several people behind the sheet. They end up a huge mess. I have only one shot, I rush past them and back up the tunnel, "Same time tomorrow then?"
I keep running, making the blade against my back hit me with each step. I speed past the tunnel entrance into the sunshine and nearly into traffic.
A red car honks hard at me. I keep running past it and him other traffic until I reach a pine tree. I hide behind the tree to catch my breath. I pull out the green blade. The red gem does look like it's a magnifying glass to something but I can only see some smudged symbol.
Then my phone rings, "Hello?"
"Hey honey," James sounds so lighthearted, almost le he doesn't have a care in the world, "I'm at CJ's."
"Crap," I look beyond the tree. No one else comes from the tunnels. I come out and start heading to the hotel, "Our date. I got a little wrapped up in things. I'll be right there."
"Would you like me to put in your order?"
A smile makes my lips twitch upward, "A turkey sandwich. Double everything."
"You got it." James repeats the order to a waiter, "I'll see you soon. Bye." He makes little kissy noises then hangs up.
I make it back into the hotel lobby, pull out my key card and look for a place to hide my new weapon. I chose my underwear drawer. Not for the obvious reasons, there's a secret compartment just under it. I place it in then put more or less the drawer back in order. I freshen up a bit, nibble on a small can of peanuts and head out. What was the thing I stole? Why does Edward have so many?
As much as I want to leave that kind of life behind, those questions missing their answers with keep bugging me. And the only quick end to a bug like that is finding out what's going on.
{Location: Crystal Pass}(Seliel's POV)[Present day]
It seems like AJ hasn't moved an inch as I quietly run back to her. "Anything?" My voice changer must be broken from lack of use. My lighter normal voice comes through instead.
AJ seems like she looking past me, shooting daggers at Marci, "Nope. Jordan hasn't come back but I think Victor is taking a nap."
"Then we should look at where they put that mark." I peek up. Victor is out like a light and using the unlit lantern as a teddy bear. I flick my hand forward and start creeping to the cave. Marci pulls up her ghost half-mask over her nose. Like no one would be able to identify her as a ghost otherwise. She leads the way with AJ covering our backs. I pat around my belt for my flashlight. I flick it on and follow Marci down.
AJ turns on her own light and holds it under her gun. The tunnel is fairly straightforward. Small dig out little here and there. Then Marci stops, making me pass through here. She points down, on the rail line is a large red X with a spray paint can nearby, "Here."
I step outside the X and kneel down, "What's here?" I brush my fingers over the dirt. This is part of the main line. Sometimes used for emergencies snowstorms when cars and trucks can't climb the pass. Sometimes we'll get entire carts with food that could last for months.
AJ shifts her weight side to side, "Didn't one of those nimrods say something about a big boom. Is that the same a dynamite?"
"Oh crap," I bite my lips as I stand up, "There's something buried under the rail line. Jordan's gonna blow it then dig for something."
Marci scratches her back with her right sia, "And because winter is on the way, if we get a freak snow storm, the line won't be fixed fast enough." She stops scratching, "I wouldn't want to see that day."
AJ smirk turns into a sneer, "Ok, you won't then." She aims for Marci.
I look for a way to push her aim off with out getting my head blown off, "AJ, what are you doing?"
"Ghosts can't be trusted." AJ lodes the gun as Marci's hands go up, "I'm saving us a lot of trouble."
I'm her hero right? Time to try something crazy. I sidestep in front of the gun, "No."
"Get out of the way." AJ tries to move the gun but I catch it and point it towards my collar bone.
"No. You shoot her, you shoot me." With my free hand, I take my helmet off and stare at her. She's fighting something, I just need to win her over, "AJ, I want to trust you. I like you. I don't want to do this the hard way." But I pull the gun closer, "I don't want my friend to get hurt again. I wasn't there for her once, it won't happen again."
AJ holds steady. Her brown eyes flicker back and forth between her target and me. I can hear echoes from up the tunnel. Come on AJ, please pick soon.
Then AJ lowers her gun and places it on the ground. I bend over slowly, put on the safety then remove the round. Very dark bullets spill out as I let them run down to the bottom of the tunnel. I put the empty slot back in, stand up and hand it back to her, "Thank you."
AJ rolls her eyes, "You know how dangerous that trust test was?" She puts her hand on her hip and swings her gun around, "If I wasn't a good cop-"
Marci peeks out from behind be, "Good thing you are." She gives a shy smile.
I glance up the tunnel, about 6 long shadows cast down from lantern light, "I'd hate to break up something like this, but we gotta hide."
AJ finds an ended track with an empty minecart, Marci fades thought the wall and I find a dark corner. I try and remember how to turn on night vision on this thing. I find the dial and spot four other boys, Victor and Jordan holding a stick of dynamite.
Jordan plants his into the ground, "You ready boys?"
The four others don't look too sure but stick their's into the ground too. Victor twirls his in his fingers.
"Victor." Jordan snaps.
"Yes, boss?"
"Be a good henchman and put it in. Now!"
Victor raises an eyebrow but pushes his in too. The pulls out his lighter and flickers it. "Must be out."
Jordan sighs heavily, "And we've got electrical lanterns." He turns back up, "Stay here Vicky. I'm gonna find a good light." He takes the boys up, leaving Victor in the dark.
Or I thought it was just dark until a small fire from a lighter comes up on my heads-up display.